Fluorescent lighting equipment



' March 1, 1949. e. w. BEALS ETAL 2,463,013

FLUORESCENT LIGHTING EQUIPMENT Filed Sept. 29, 1945 r 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ill 152 f'ic fi.

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, FLUORESCENT LIGHTING EQUIPMENT Filed Sept. 29, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATToNEY March 1, 1949. G. w. BEALS ETAL 2,463,013

FLUORESCENT LIGHTING EQUIPMENT I 4 Shets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 29, 1945.

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I FLUORESCENT LIGHTING EQUIPMENT Filed Sept. 29, 1945 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS G/usmv w. Beans Jon/v C4 Pl/L 1. BY

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 1, 1949 2,463,013 FLUORESCENT LIGHTING EQUIPMENT Gillson W. Beals, Meriden, and John Carulli,

Branford, Conn., assignors to The Miller Company, Meriden, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application September 29, 1945, Serial No. 619,290

Claims.

The present invention relates to fluorescent lighting equipment and is more particularly directed toward fluorescent lighting equipment adapted for use as an individual fixture or in continuous lighting equipment.

The present invention contemplates the provision of fluorescent lighting equipment wherein each unit length is in the form of a complete chassis which has an over all length the same as the nominal length of the lamps to be employed and carries all the structure and electrical parts necessary to provide a functioning piece of lighting equipment. This chassis employs a top plate and end plates, preferably welded together and shaped to form not only a housing for the ballast and wiring, but also supports for the lamp sockets and starter sockets (where used) and these parts may be completely enclosed by a cover which extends from one end plate to the other and from one side of the top plate to the other.

The present invention provides a chassis carrying all the equipment necessary for lamp operation and for its support from the ceiling or other overhead support and is suitable for employment in single units or continuous lighting equipment with such added ornamental end plates, covers and the like as will provide desired appearances for the complete equipment. The chassis itself is susceptible of mass production, assembly and test, and as it can be used with many forms of ornamental exteriors, it is possible to provide a very wide variety of lighting fixtures having the same basic and essential functioning parts.

Other and further objects will hereinafter appear as the description proceeds.

The accompanying drawings show, for purposes of illustrating the present invention, an

embodiment in which the invention may take form, it being understood that the drawings are illustrative of the invention rather than limiting the same.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a, fragmentary side elevational view of one end of the chassis, showing the lamps in position;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same;

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the chassis illustrating a clamp for supporting it from a ceiling;

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4fl of Figures 2 and 3 illustrating two chassis united for continuous lighting equipment;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure '7 showing a chassis in dotted lines and an end cover plate in normal position in full lines and in extended position in dot and dash lines;

Figure 6a. is a fragmentary view illustrating in detail;

Figure 7 is an end view of a fixture with end cover plate in position; and

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic View illustrating various parts employed in an individual fixture of the bare lamp type.

The chassis of the lighting fixture employs a top plate I0, two end plates II, I I and a cover I2, all these parts being shown more in detail in Figure 8.

The top plate It! extends for the full length of the fixture and has a flat upper portion l4, two longitudinally extending beads I5, I5 at the side, downwardly extending stiffening webs I6, I6, outwardly extending flanges I1, I! and downwardly bent marginal edges I8, I8 preferably doubled on to one another for stiffness. Adjacent the stiffened edges I8, I8 the top member has downwardly facing seats I9, I9. The top plate I0 is somewhat wider than fluorescent lamp ballast 20, which is fastened in place by welding bolts 2|. The plate may also be stiffened by longitudinally extending ribs 22, 22. The side walls I6, I6 may be provided with elongated holes 23 to facilitate ventilation.

This top plate which acts as a mounting pan may be supported by pipes such as indicated at 25 in Figure 1, or as indicated in Figures 2, 3 and 5, it may be supported by clamps such as 24 which engage the beads I5, I5. The spacing of the beads is preferably the same as that employed in the wiring channels of Patents 2,291,491, 2,291,492 and 2,321,099, so that the lighting units shown herein may also be supported from the same type of hanger.

The end plates I I, II are alike and have a generally semi-circular body portion 30. Each end plate has an upper flange 3| which fits on the top of the top plate Ill and also two flanges 32, 32 which extend over on to the flanges I1, I! of the top plate. The flanges 3| and 32 are welded to the top plate and the length of the top plateis such that the over all length of the fixture from the outside of one end plate to the outside of the other end plate is the nominal length of the lamp, typically 48 inches. The configuration of the top plate imparts stiffness to this plate and aflords vertically and horizontally spaced areas for .manently in place.

welding the end plate to it. These end plates are further stifiened by braces 31.

Each of the end plates H has, as here shown, four extensions 33 in the plane of the body of the end plate, each adapted to support a lamp socket or lamp holder 34. This type of lamp holder is of the type designed to be secured to a flat mounting plate or support with its extreme outer face in the plane of this support, as will be apparent from the drawings. The end plates are slotted adjacent the extensions 33 as indicated at 35, to accommodate the body of the lamp socket or holder and the material between the extensions 33, 33, is bent at right angles to the body of the end plate as indicated at 36. This material extends in between the lamp sockets so as to afford a closure between the sockets and from the sockets to the upper edge of the end plate. Each end plate carries a bracket 38 adapted to receive a pair of starter sockets 39.

.The trough shaped sheet metal cover 2 has its upper edges 4i fitted inside the stiffening flanges l8-of the top plate and is held against the seats [9 by screws 42 held in place by split Washers 42' and'threaded into the lowermost extensions 36. The cover is apertured at 43 to permit the starters 43, 43 to extend down below it.

The top plate, end plates and cover above described are, together with the ballast, the sockets and wiring, adapted to form a complete serviceable chassis for a four lamp fluorescent lighting fixture whose over all length is nominal lamp length. This chassis may be used either in continuous lighting installations or for individual units. The end plates are provided with knockouts 44 and the adjacent end plates are coupled together by a nipple 45 and nuts 45 as' shown in Figure 4. This nipple provides a wire-way to carry the wires from one unit to the next.

When the chassis is for use in individual fixtures, various forms of ornamental constructions may be applied. One of these forms is shown in Figures 6 and 7. As an example of such a cover plate there is shown at one made of sheet metal of the appearance shown in Patent No. 2,320,829. This end plate cover 50 is provided with a U-shaped strap 5!, adapted to extend between the upper corners of the end plates l E and adjacent the beads I5, l5. When the end plate cover 50 is in the inner position as indicated in is merely necessary to loosen the screw 52' at one end of the unit and slide the end plate cover outwardly to the dot and dash line position of Figure l -6 where it clears the lamp sockets. place by the prongs of the U-shaped member 5! ,It will, of course, be apparent that a very wide variety of ornamental end plate covers may be secured to the chassis in this manner, it merely It is held in being necessary that they be designed to fit the chassis and accommodate the sockets and lamps. Such end plate covers may also be used to support, louvers or diffusing equipment which surrounds all the lamps. Screw holes 55 in the end plates are provided for securing end plate covers per- Such constructions are illusof these forms, and various modifications and changes being possible, we do not otherwise limit ourselves in any way with respect thereto.

What is claimed is:

l. Abody for a fluorescent lighting fixture employing rectilinear fluorescent lamps, said body having an over all length equal to nominal lamp length and comprising two vertical end plates with their outer surfaces in parallel planes spaced an amount equal to nominal lamp length, a horizontal sheet metal top plate to which the end plates are secured, the end plates extending downwardly and each having a plurality of lamp socket supports disposed in the same plane as the outer face of the end plate, a trough shaped sheet metal cover extending from one edge of the top plate to the other and from one end plate to the other, means for detachably securing the cover to the end plates, and lamp socketssecured to the socket supports with their outer faces in the same plane as the outer faces of the end plates and projecting beyond the cover for supporting the lamps alongside the cover.

2. A lighting fixture body as claimed in claim 1, wherein the top plate has a generally fiat upper central portion, longitudinally extending beads therealon for the reception of hooked fixture supports, a vertical stifiening portion below each bead and a horizontal flange outside each stiffening portion so that the outer edges of thefianges of the top plate are below the beads and spaced farther apart than the beads.

3. A lighting fixture body as claimed in claim 1, wherein the top plate has downwardly facing seats for the upper edges of the cover and downwardly flanged edge portions covering the upper edges of the cover.

4. A lighting fixture body as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lamp socket supports on each end plate are integral therewith.

5. A lighting fixture body as claimed in claim 1, wherein the end plates have flanges between the sockets and extending to the edges of the cover.

6. A lighting fixture body as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover securing means includes inwardly bent bottom flanges carried by the end plates.

7. A lighting fixture body as claimed in claim 1, wherein each end plate carries a bracket spaced above the bottom of the cover and starter sockets are secured to the brackets, the cover having holes to admit starters to the starter sockets.

8. A lighting fixture for rectilinear fluorescent lamps comprising, a sheet metal top plate, a ballast carried by the top plate, two sheet metal end plates secured to the top plate with their outer faces spaced nominal lamp length, the end plates having a plurality of radial socket supporting extensions in the plane of the plate, fluorescent lamp sockets on the extensions, the end plates having flanges between the extensions and sockets, the sockets extending beyond the flanges, a trough shaped sheet metal cover extending from the flanges on one end plate to the flanges on the other end plate and from one edge of the top plate to the other edge, so as to form a completely enclosing body for the ballast and fixture wiring, means for securing the cover in place, and rectilinear fluorescent lamps extending from the sockets carried by one end plate to those carried by the other end plate.

9. A fluorescent lighting fixture end plate made of sheet metal and having a plurality of lamp socket supporting extensions radiating from and in the same plane as the body portion of the plate and integral filler flanges at substantially right angles to the plane of the plate and between the socket extensions, the flanges being spaced from one another an amount to accommodate lamp sockets carried in the extensions.

10. A fluorescent lighting fixture comprising a chassis which includes end plates carryin a plurality of fluorescent lamp sockets opposite one another, fluorescent lamps extending between the sockets, end plate covers disposed outside the end plates and extending outside the sockets and inwardly about the sockets and adjacent ends of the lamps to conceal the sockets and lamp ends and interfere with lamp insertion and removal, and means comprising elongated cover supports secured to the cover and longitudinally slideable along the chassis to sup- 6 port the covers in said position or displaced from the end plates to be beyond the sockets to facilitate lamp removal and insertion.

GILLSON W. BEALS. 5 JOHN CARULLI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

F. Guth 00., St. Louis, Mo. 

